Although they lost 27-22, the New York Giants fought hard against the Washington Commanders in their Week 9 division clash Sunday afternoon.
It was a tale of two halves for the Giants, who came out flat in the first half, scoring one touchdown while mustering zero passing yards. The touchdown came from the arm of quarterback Daniel Jones, who finally threw a TD pass at home after not doing so for 672 days. They entered halftime down 21-7, looking like they'd get boat-raced by the Commanders for the remainder of the game.
New York proved it still had some fight left in it. The team outscored Washington 15-6 in the second half and looked prime to steal a victory at MetLife Stadium. However, late-game miscues, costly penalties, and questionable special teams calls ultimately sealed the fate of Big Blue.
After the game, Giants head coach Brian Daboll talked to reporters and sounded more deflated than a punctured bounce house.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll can no longer hide his frustration
Following the tough division loss, Daboll addressed the media with a massively heavy "Uhhhhh" before he started the conference with, "Tough game."
Listen to the way he started his post-game remarks. He couldn't be less energized if he tried.
The lack of inspiration or enthusiasm is understandable. Daboll clearly wants to win football games, but it's becoming increasingly more difficult for him and the G-Men to do so. The wounds are self-inflicted, so there's really no one else to blame but himself.
"In the end, just didn't make enough plays to get the outcome we want."
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) November 3, 2024
Brian Daboll's opening statement after the Giants' loss to the Commanders: pic.twitter.com/xzppZ8aKwP
He oversimplified the loss by saying, "In the end just didn't make enough plays to get the outcome we want." He talked about how there were game-changing plays the team needed to make, but they didn't.
It all points to a lack of preparation, which falls squarely on the coaching staff.
The Giants had a real chance to pull off a comeback. Down 21-7 at halftime, they fought back hard in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter. But in the end, it was too little, too late. A missed defensive stop allowed Washington to drain the clock and lock in the win.
The Giants made some puzzling special teams decisions, going for two-point conversions not once but twice after their fourth-quarter touchdowns. It’s the second time this season that failed conversion attempts have come back to haunt them against the Commanders.
Though extra points wouldn’t have put the Giants in the lead, opting for them over the two-point conversions would have turned this into a three-point game, setting up the chance to tie with a field goal. Instead, the missed conversions left them needing a touchdown, a far tougher task in the final minutes.
Even with kicker Greg Joseph sidelined due to injury, rookie Jude McAtamney was called up for support and had already nailed an extra point and a 31-yard field goal. So, why go bold when a simpler path was available?
It’s no surprise Daboll seems so uninterested in talking, his demeanor visibly deflated. He can blame the game on not making enough plays as much as he'd like, but he needs a bit more accountability here for the position he's putting this team in.